Dubai
Lenovo’s dual-mode all-in-one Windows tabletop PC – Flex 20 – is an entry-level device budgeted for the family.
The 19.5-inch device is powered by Intel’s fourth generation 1.70GHz processor with 4GB of RAM and 500GB hard disk capacity.
Many manufacturers have launched all-in-ones in the market but this has a lower 1600 x 900 pixels resolution and not full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). But the main advantage is the price, which I will say it in the end.
The IPS panel provides good viewing angles and supports 10 point multitouch. The display tilts from 15 degrees to 80 degrees angle and can lay flat on a table or in your lap.
Design wise, most of the all-in-ones are similar. The back is made of plastic with matte aluminum finish, similar to its wireless keyboard and mouse.
On the front, a 720p webcam with microphone and LED flash and a Windows home button are housed. On the left are the headphone jack, two USB 3 ports and power charger. On the top is the power on/off button, screen-rotation-lock switch and volume rocker.
The island-style keyboard, similar to Apple’s keyboard, is made of hollow plastic shell and a lot of play in the keys. The plastic keyboard spoils the beauty of the elegant tabletop PC design. The mouse has large left and right button and a decent scroll wheel.
Both the keyboard and mouse are not paired by Bluetooth. A single USB dongle supports both the keyboard and the mouse.
Users will be forced to depend on auto-dimming or bring up Windows’ power options as display brightness controls are absent on the system as well as on the bundled keyboard.
The interesting part is the folding kickstand at the back which can convert the device into dual modes. The hinge is stiff enough to support any angles.
Lenovo has played it clever to position the Flex 20 for in-house portability and can also be used as a giant tablet. It weights around 3.5 kilos.
There are occasional sluggishness in using the on-screen controls and it may be due to the slower CPU processor.
Don’t think of playing 3D graphic-rich games on this device as it do not have a discrete graphic card and it comes integrated with 1748MB Intel HD Graphics 4400. But games like Halo: Spartan Assault played fine.
Lenovo’s own Aura touchscreen interface, designed for using as a tablet when laid flat, ran into occasional delay and lag. The software opens up automatically when laid flat. The large ring interface is surrounded by icons for photo, LenovoApp Shop, games, music, education and apps.
The software turns the PC to share photos, videos and games. Two or more people can simultaneously access content via this distinct new user interface. Photos opened with Aura can be re-sized into different sizes and shapes with fingers. Board games like Air Hockey, DrawRace 2, Fishing Joy, King of Opera, Lenovo Roulette, Tycoon, Raiding Company and Texas Hold Em are pre-installed on this device.
The manual talks about the unique game peripherals like joysticks that can be stuck on the screen and then used as tactile input and e-dice. The peripherals were not included with the review unit, so I could not test the accuracy and the benefits.
The bottom-mounted speakers, which support Dolby Digital Home theater system, provide reasonable volume with little bass but lacks depth. The audio is good enough for games and short videos, but for music playback you need a set of external speakers.
Lenovo has added two useful apps – Support and System Rescue. The Support app gives a fast way to troubleshoot with access to user guides and forums while System Rescue performs a system restore in case of a system crash.
Regarding connectivity, it has two USB 3.0 ports, WiFi and Bluetooth. No support for SD card, Ethernet port, optical drive and video output. One USB port will be used for the keyboard and mouse and the user will be left with only one USB port for other purposes.
In the battery test, it lasted for just over two hours of video playback which is not great while it lasted for 3 hours and 20 minutes on continuous internet surfing over WiFi. The price is yet to be fixed.
